Bismarck guy looking to learn

Davey Crockett

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I'd stand in the yard and practice with my fly rod for hours when I was a kid, I learned to tie a paper clip on instead of a fly after a trip to the Dr to get a bald spot shaved on my head and the hook removed. The Dr. laughed his ass off when I told him how it happened.
 


fly2cast

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I used to do quite a bit of fly fishing in North Dakota around Bismarck. Like many have said, go for panfish and work your way up. Panfish are easy to catch with a popper. Its more difficult catching things like pike. Try from a boat or float tube. Starting on shore is difficult when you first start because you'll hook everything behind you and spend hours retying everything. "A River Runs Through It" is a good movie but won't help you a bit when it comes to actual fishing, especially in North Dakota.
 

DakotaGreg

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There was a fly club out of Dakota Tackle but attendence tapered. I considered looking into starting one but I dont make it to Bismarck often. Fly fishing to me is just another tool. It excells in shallow water and sight fishing. Most any fish can be targeted on fly. I fly cast on Lake Skakawea. When the carp are up, I enjoy casting to moving targets and keep one for catfish bait for evening. In the spring, Ill throw flies in the backwaters of bays and get all kinds of fish. I also like throwing flies into rockpiles for pike and bass. Might have a go spey casting this year. If you ever want more information, let me know. There isnt much information online for ND. Montana gets all the fly fishing attention but I prefer it here.
 

mikejennens

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There was a fly club out of Dakota Tackle but attendence tapered. I considered looking into starting one but I dont make it to Bismarck often. Fly fishing to me is just another tool. It excells in shallow water and sight fishing. Most any fish can be targeted on fly. I fly cast on Lake Skakawea. When the carp are up, I enjoy casting to moving targets and keep one for catfish bait for evening. In the spring, Ill throw flies in the backwaters of bays and get all kinds of fish. I also like throwing flies into rockpiles for pike and bass. Might have a go spey casting this year. If you ever want more information, let me know. There isnt much information online for ND. Montana gets all the fly fishing attention but I prefer it here.
Thanks. I’m all ears since I don’t know what questions to ask yet.
 


DakotaGreg

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I can't speak out of experience for Burnt Creek or the Misty Waters marina specifically but it might surprise people the kinds of fish that get into tiny creeks like that especially during high water. Would have to walk banks, watch the water, and blind cast it. Might require permission to walk if its private land. I always start with wooly buggers and clousers. Weightless if its shallow or if theres carp on top. Watch for wakes, tailing, or lips sucking on the surface, especially in foamy weed choked pockets. Wear sunglasses and watch for spooked fish as you approach water that you can see into. Carp are lazy and generally wont chase down a fly like a bass (though it happens). Land a weightless fly in front of them and slowly twitch it across their face. Either guess when they suck it in and strip set or see it.
Maybe theres pike or bass in it, I dont know. Just blind cast those streamers, bigger sizes depending on what you find in there. If theres bluegill, tiny poppers work.
Or just cast familiar lures until find you fish, and then swap to an appropriate fly. I dont know what to do in places I havent been but I do know how to guess at getting started to figure it out. Creeks are good for new casters cus distance isnt as important. But if the creek is clear or you cant reach a spot, distance casting helps.
 

Erichins

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I live onnthe southside of Burnt Creek in Ponderosa subdivision...could give you fly fishing lessons after all the ice is gone. I even have an extra rod if you dont have one yet. Nodakbob@outlook.com
Hi Bob, I live in Ponderosa and fly fish a lot. I guide for trout in Idaho seasonally and spend a lot of time fishing here in the neighborhood for carp.
 

Erichins

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I haven't ever been fly fishing, but I'm retiring soon and would like to give it a try this spring. I live about two miles north of Misty Waters Marina, so there is a nice creek very close to where I live. I don't even know what questions to ask. Any advice or other Bismarck area fly fishermen willing to help a new guy?
Thanks in advance!
Mike
Hi Mike, I just saw your post. I’m a fly fishing guide and live super close to you. I fish the creek a lot for carp and others. You can hop in with me sometime or come by and cast for a while to get the hang of it.

Eric
 

shorthairsrus

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second the popper idea ---- thats what i did to learn and catch before i went way out west.


You might as well take a trip to MT --- Its amazing to me how many fly fish now. Chickys are into it big time. We went sledding how many people were standing in that cold water. Not for me - its cold enough now.
 


snow2

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I have always wanted to get into fly fishing too. Always thought it would be a ball on a panfish lake. Several years ago I actually bought an el cheapo fly rod combo for like $50 cause I didn't want to drop a couple hundred dollars on a decent setup if I wasn't sure if I liked it. I still haven't taken it out of the package yet. I imagine when I do try to use it because its just a snoopy rod version of a real setup it might cause me more frustration than it should.
A good start for a green fly fisher is a 3 or 5wt light duty 7.5 or 8' two piece fly rod ideal for panfish or a known trout stream for starters,spool cheap braid backing on fly reel then spool "weight forward floating fly line makes for easy casting attach a lite 4x tippet to fly line pre made or use a light mono line for your tippet,use a barrel knot 7 + ft long practice casting in your yard,attach a piece of yarn to your tippet no hooks,check out video's so you understand different casting techniques, once you get the hang of casting its alot of fun,sunfish love tiny poppers,surface fly that looks like a small "hoola-popper,trout is a whole different ball game and bait patterns matching fresh bug hatches.
 
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snow2

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I'd stand in the yard and practice with my fly rod for hours when I was a kid, I learned to tie a paper clip on instead of a fly after a trip to the Dr to get a bald spot shaved on my head and the hook removed. The Dr. laughed his ass off when I told him how it happened.
Hahaha, yeah that back cast can be tricky.

You had a bald spot as a kid? Really?
 

snow2

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yup, shaved and stitches
Com on davey,serious fly fishermen hooks are "barbless"... well except for meat hunters,i always got the stink eye from fly guru's floating a night crawler down a steelhead run,they used yarn flies.

Smoked steelhead are #1 in my book no matter how we take them,sadly today few freshwater steelhead runs,libral daily limits put the kibosh on our steelhead fishery on our great lakes,lake superior was my huckleberry back in the late 70's
 


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